Ladyjack Game Notes: at Sam Houston State
1/24/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Jan. 24, 2012
Sam Houston State Game Notes
Stephen F. Austin at Sam Houston State
Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012 • 6:30 p.m. (CST)
Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum • Huntsville, Texas
Radio: Q107.7 FM • TV: None • Online: www.gobearkats.com
Ladyjacks
Record: 12-5, 2-2
Last 5/Streak: 2-3/L2
Coach: Brandon Schneider
Career: 332-103 (14th season)
At SFA: 24-23 (2nd season)
SID: Kenny Bybee
E-Mail: bybeeka@sfasu.edu
Web: www.sfajacks.com
Bearkats
Record: 9-7, 4-1
Last 5/Streak: 4-1/W1
Coach: Brenda Welch-Nichols
Career: 184-259 (16th season)
At SHSU: 52-111 (5th season)
SID: Paul Ridings
E-Mail: ridings@shsu.edu
Web: www.gobearkats.com
FOR STARTERS: The Ladyjacks are in the midst of their first two-game losing streak of the season following a disappointing 69-61 homes loss to UT-Arlington last Saturday. Prior to that game SFA had gone 3-0 following a loss.
LAST TIME OUT: For the first time all season the Stephen F. Austin Ladyjacks suffered their second straight defeat, falling 69-61 to UT-Arlington Saturday evening at the William R. Johnson Coliseum Tammara Marion (20 points) and Brittney Matthew (12 points) led the way for SFA offensively but it was the defensive side of the ball where the Ladyjacks struggled on this particular evening.
THE BEARKATS: Sam Houston State will enter play Wednesday winners of their past six outings, including a 4-1 mark in conferene action. Last time out SHSU defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 65-56 behind a team-high 22 points from Britni Martin.
vs SAM HOUSTON ST.: Although SHSU won the most previous meeting with SFA, a 76-66 victory on Mar. 2, 2011, the Ladyjacks have dominated the career series by a 54-7 margin. The Ladyjacks have won six of the previous eight matchups.
COVERAGE: Saturday's game vs SHSU can be followed on Gametracker at www.gobearkats.com, and watched via S All-Access at gobearkats.com.
UP NEXT: Following Wednesday the Ladyjacks will return to Nacogdoches to take on the Islanders on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 6:00 p.m., followed by a road game on Wednesday, Feb. 1 at Texas State.
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES: After a 12-18 campaign under then first-year head coach Brandon Schneider in 2010-11, the Ladyjacks have reversed their fortunes in a major way. Through 17 games last season the Ladyjacks held a 5-12 record as opposed to this season where through the exact same amount of games SFA stands at 12-5. The Ladyjacks actually have one of the top turnarounds in the nation in team winning percentage (.705) when compared with last year's .400 mark. The +.305 difference in winning percentage is currently the 11th best improvement in the country.
ROBERTS' FRESHMAN OF YEAR CAMPAIGN: After a bit of inconsistency that had much to do with foul problems, freshman forward Porsha Roberts has begun to establish herself as a Southland Conference Freshman of the Year Candidate. The Waco, Texas native has scored in double-digits in four of her past five outings, including a career-high 14 points at Southeastern Louisiana. Over her past five games, Roberts is averaging 11 points while shooting 50 percent (21-of-42) from the floor and 81 percent (13-of-16) from the free throw line. She also has 12 blocks over the same stretch of contests.
TOP DEFENSIVE TURNAROUNDS: By allowing just 57.1 points per game, the Ladyjacks have made huge strides on the defensive end over the period of one season. SFA is currently 10th in the nation in biggest improvement in Division I in points allowed per game, a difference of 12.5 points per game.
MARION DIALING LONG DISTANCE: Senior guard Tammara Marion, who became SFA's all-time leader in made three-pointers earlier this year, is now 34th in the country in three-point field goals per game (2.6) and 27th in three-point percentage (40.0). Marion actually has a higher FG percentage from long distance than her regular FG percentage (35.0). As a team SFA ranks 55th in the nation in three-point field goals per game (6.4).
RECORD WATCHES: With six made three-pointers, only one short of a personal best, against Southern Miss (11/26/11), senior guard Tammara Marion became the all-time leader in made three-pointers (184), passing former Ladyjack Dayna Reed's previous record of 178. Marion also tied the all-time school record for three-pointers attempted on 1/14 at UTSA by launching her 555 trifecta, tying the previous mark held by Kirby Killingsworth.
PARTY IN THE CUSA: With their back-to-back wins over Rice (68-64) and SMU (66-60), and their win over Southern Miss earlier this season, the Ladyjacks have defeated three Conference USA squads in a season for the first time since the 2006-07 campaign when SFA knocked off Southern Miss, Louisiana Tech and Tulsa.
PRESEASON POLLS: With one of the top recruiting classes in the nation, the Ladyjacks earned four first-place votes in the coaches' poll and three more in the SID poll and a second-place finish; however, each poll has UTSA in the top spot in the league's West Division.
MARION PRESEASON ALL-SOUTHLAND: Tammara Marion was named to the all-Southland Conference preseason first team on Wednesday while the Ladyjacks were selected to finish second in the SLC West according to the preseason polls of league coaches and sports information directors. Marion, who was a second team all-conference selection last year, ranked third in the conference in 2010-11 in scoring (16.1).
800-WIN CLUB: The Ladyjacks (862 wins) became the sixth member of an exclusive club with their 73-40 victory over Sam Houston State in 2007-08. SFA became only the sixth women's program in NCAA Division I history to record 800 wins. The Ladyjacks joined Tennessee, Louisiana Tech, Old Dominion, Texas and James Madison as the only schools to ever accomplish the feat. Making the victory more special was the fact that it was Sue Gunter Day on the SFA campus. Tennessee Tech also joined the 800-win club in 2008-09.
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